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What is globus pharyngeus?

Globus pharyngeus does not interfere with swallowing or breathing, but it can become quite annoying. It can also lead to significant health anxiety, since people with this sensation may worry they are choking or about to choke.

Globus pharyngeus makes the throat feel partly blocked. People experiencing this feeling often refer to a lump in the throat. Some others describe the sensation as scratchy, throbbing, tense, or like they have a pill stuck in their throat.

The sensation is not painful, but it can be annoying. A fundamental difference between globus pharyngeus and other throat issues is that there is no actual lump in the throat when a person experiences the globus sensation.

The globus sensation is different from dysphagia, which is difficulty swallowing. However, some people with globus pharyngeus may report difficulty swallowing or feel anxious that swallowing will cause choking.

Most people with globus pharyngeus find that symptoms temporarily improve after drinking, and sometimes after eating.

Anxiety and psychological symptoms can cause the globus pharyngeus. The condition was once called globus hystericus, and doctors as far back as Hippocrates have assumed that people who experienced this symptom were “hysterical.”

Doctors now know that the globus sensation can have both psychological and physical causes and that people are not faking their symptoms – even when there is no physical cause.

Unless globus pharyngeus follows choking, it is safe to wait to see if the sensation disappears on its own.

People who have previously experienced globus pharyngeus and sought treatment do not need to see a doctor unless the symptoms are worse, significantly different, or painful.

People should see a doctor for the globus sensation when it is accompanied by:

pain in the throat or neck

weight loss

sudden symptoms after the age of 50

vomiting

difficulty swallowing

pain during swallowing

choking when swallowing

muscle weakness in the throat or elsewhere in the body

A mass that can be seen or felt in or around the neck or throat

symptoms that get progressively worse

symptoms that signal an infection or other serious health issues, such as fever or swollen lymph nodes.

Treatment

There are no specific medications or lifestyle changes available to treat globus pharyngeus. Also, people who have previously experienced globus pharyngeus may experience it again, particularly in times of stress.

When the globus sensation is due to another medical condition, treating that condition can remove globus pharyngeus. For example, antacids and lifestyle remedies may help with globus pharyngeus related to (GERD) Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

(01/27/2021)
by Medical News Today

More Information: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318633

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